Journal Register editor Emily Morris, 31, dies

Emily Morris, a well-respected journalist for Montgomery Media, passed away Monday from injuries suffered in a freak accident Saturday while she was driving on the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

Ms. Morris, 31, of Norristown, was the web editor for Montgomery Media and also served as the editor of the Souderton Independent and News Herald, all of which are owned by Journal Register Company, the parent company of Daily Local News. She joined Montgomery in 2005 as a staff writer and became an editor in 2007.

An April 15 news account in the Lebanon Daily News, quoting from a report on LancasterOnline.com, stated Ms. Morris was driving westbound in Lancaster County around 12:40 p.m. when a box truck struck a construction site sign, which went airborne and crashed through the windshield of her vehicle, striking her in the head.

Ms. Morris' vehicle struck another vehicle, whose driver was not hurt; also uninjured was the driver of the box truck.

She was airlifted by helicopter to Reading Hospital, where, according to a family friend at the hospital she succumbed to her injuries at 3:56 p.m. Monday.

Ms. Morris, who grew up in Lebanon, was on her way home to visit her parents, with whom she planned to vacation in California this week.

A graduate of Dickinson College, Ms. Morris also had a master's degree, and in addition to her job with Montgomery Media, she taught an online course for a community college. She once also worked as a freelance reporter for the Lebanon Daily News.

The mood at Montgomery was somber Monday as Ms. Morris' colleagues tried to absorb news of the tragedy.

'I thought she was a great journalist,' Executive Editor Mike Morsch said late Monday afternoon. 'She and I would talk about certain things related to what we're doing here and I could always count on getting an honest answer from her.

'She was very much about fairness ... if she felt something was unfair she would stand up for what the thought was right. That's a tremendous quality for a journalist to have.

'She was a confidante,' Morsch said, relating how Ms. Morris would mull over a conversation and email him in detail hours later with a thoughtful response. 'I knew I would get an answer I could use.'

'She really had her heart in it; she cared a lot and wanted to do the right thing,' said staff writer Bob Keeler, who worked with Ms. Morris during her tenure at Montgomery.

'She was the online editor. She didn't have to do a lot of what she did do,' he said, referring to her covering Souderton Borough Council meetings and writing stories about fundraisers and events in the community.

'Community journalism was important to her,' Keeler said.

And the community appreciated her efforts, according to comments left on the Souderton Independent Facebook page after news of the accident had been announced.

'I'm so sorry to hear of this,' Betsy Roush said.

'Emily is a very community-oriented person,' wrote Raymond A. Hopkins. 'I am hoping when she needs it, the community can rally around you all.'

Janeen Cardona said, 'Emily is an awesome editor and I have enjoyed working with her so much over the years.'

'I instantly felt her energy and love for the area and what a big heart she has,' wrote Vintage Vinyl Journals, referring to the time Ms. Morris had visited to do a story.

And it is that big heart and her outstanding qualities as a journalist that will leave a large hole in the community and Montgomery Media's websites and newspapers.